Kitchen Design for Long Term Independent Living

During a recent conversation among Newton homeowners, the question of where everyone wanted to spend their golden years came up. A few folks are planning to retire to Florida, but for the majority of people, they’d like their current home to be their forever home. Staying in their own home is the top choice of many Baby Boomers. To make that happen, they’re starting to plan home remodels to make independent living easier.

#1 on the list of rooms to upgrade? The kitchen. Remodeling the kitchen to be easier to use and more accessible makes sense. After all, everyone needs to eat, and the ability to prepare meals easily is something everyone can appreciate.

Houzz.com recently reported that aging in place is a top-of-mind concern for Baby Boomer homeowners. This has lead to an increased demand for smart kitchen upgrades, including replacing a raised bar with a lowered counter for snacking at an island or peninsula, adding roll-out trays to base and pantry cabinets, adding under-cabinet lighting for brighter work surfaces, choosing a French door opening oven rather than a standard model, and widening walk and work aisles for future wheelchair or walker use.

These changes don’t have to make your home look cold, clinical or impersonal. In fact, due to the more open, spacious layout required to accommodate wider work areas, a kitchen designed to encourage aging in place often ha a more luxurious, upscale feel than a more traditionally designed kitchen that tries to make the most out of every available square inch of space.

Other factors to consider when planning your Newton kitchen remodel: lighting, appliance, and floor choices. In addition to the under-cabinet lighting mentioned, talk to your building contractor about ways to increase the amount of natural light available in your new kitchen. Not only does it aid visibility, it’s great for boosting the mood. Energy efficient appliances and non-slip flooring made from sustainable materials are also smart choices.